check engine Lexus HS250h 2012 Owner's Manual

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HS250h_U_75050U
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3-6. Using the storage featuresList of storage features............... 377
• Glove box .................................... 378
• Console box ................................ 379
• Cup holders.................................. 381
• Bottle holders ............................ 383
• Auxiliary boxes.......................... 384
3-7. Other interior features Sun visors........................................ 385
Vanity mirrors ............................... 386
Clock ................................................. 387
Power outlets ................................ 388
Seat heaters and ventilators .................................... 389
Armrest ............................................. 391
Rear sunshade ............................... 392
Floor mat.......................................... 394
Trunk compartment features.......................................... 396
Garage door opener................. 398
Compass.......................................... 404
Safety Connect ............................ 408
4-1. Maintenance and care Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior.................... 416
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior .................... 420 4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements ..... 423
General maintenance ................ 426
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ..................................... 430
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions ................................... 431
Hood ................................................. 434
Positioning a floor jack............... 435
Engine compartment.................. 437
12-volt battery................................ 447
Tires .................................................... 451
Tire inflation pressure................. 459
Wheels ............................................. 462
Air conditioning filter.................. 464
Electronic key battery ................ 467
Checking and replacing fuses ................................................ 469
Light bulbs ........................................ 481
5-1. Essential information Emergency flashers .................... 494
If your vehicle needs to be towed ....................................... 495
If you think something is wrong .............................................. 501
4Maintenance and care5When trouble arises

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1-1. Hybrid system
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Before driving
HS250h_U_75050U
■Air conditioning
Use the air conditioning only when necessary. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: In high temperatures, use the recirculated air mode. Doing so
will help to reduce the burden on the air conditioner and reduce fuel con-
sumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine will not automatically cut out until
the gasoline engine and the interior of the vehicle are warm, it will con-
sume fuel. Also, fuel consumption can be improved by avoiding overuse of
the heater.
■ Checking tire inflation pressure
Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure frequently. Improper tire
inflation pressure can cause poor fuel consumption.
Also, as snow tires can cause large amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to poor fuel consumption. Use a tire that is appropriate for
the season.
■Luggage
Carrying heavy luggage can lead to poor fuel consumption. Avoid carry-
ing unnecessary luggage. Installing a large roof rack can also cause poor
fuel consumption.
■Warming up before driving
Since the gasoline engine starts up and cuts out automatically when cold,
warming up the engine is unnecessary. Moreover, frequently driving short
distances will cause the engine to repeatedly warm up, which can lead to
poor fuel consumption.

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the hybrid system
operating. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator
pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal willresult in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a difficulty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting in an acci-
dent.
●The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the vehicle is powered
only by the electric motor (traction motor) . Because there is no engine noise, the
pedestrians may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while a forward driving position is selected,
or roll forward while R is selected.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and check
that the trunk is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver
drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a serious health hazard. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
●Do not shift the shift position to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift position to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.

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2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
●Do not shift the shift position to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Moving the shift position to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
hybrid system. Engine braking is not available with the hybrid system disengaged.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid sys-
tem off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop
the vehicle in the normal way: →P. 5 5 8
●Use engine braking (shift position B) to maintain a safe speed when driving down
a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose effec-
tiveness. ( →P. 160)
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents, resulting
in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do
not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-speed capability
tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire failure, loss of control and
possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on
your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Abrupt changes from shift position D to B and rapid changes in the engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in an accident.
■When changing the shift position
Be careful not to change the shift position with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Changing the shift position to any positions other than P or N may cause the vehicle
to accelerate abruptly, causing an accident and resulting in death or serious injury.
After changing the shift position, make sure to confirm the current shift position dis-
played on the shift position indicator inside the meter.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any shift position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on. Apply the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the
exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is
nearby.

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
NOTICE
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to
have your Lexus dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of engine oil, transaxle fluid for the hybrid system
etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possible), and
the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
As flooding may damage components involved in P position control, the parking
lock may jam in the locked position.
■If the vehicle will not shift out of the P position
There is a possibility that the 12-volt battery is discharged. Check the 12-volt battery
in this situation.

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2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
Power (ignition) switch
Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key on
your person starts the hybrid syst em or changes “POWER” switch modes.
■Starting the hybrid system
Check that the parking brake is set.
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
The “POWER” switch indicator will turn green. If the indicator does
not turn green, the hybrid system cannot be started.
When shift position N is selected, the hybrid system cannot start.
Select the P position when starting the hybrid system. ( →P. 161)
Press the “POWER” switch.
After a while, the “READY” indi-
cator comes on with a beep
sound.
The vehicle can move when the
“READY” indicator is on even if
the engine is stopped.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the hybrid system is
completely started.
The hybrid system can be
started from any
“POWER”
switch
mode.
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
The vehicle will not move when the “READY” indicator is off.

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
■Shift position purpose
*: For good fuel economy and noise redu ction, the D position should usually
be used.
■ P position switch
The shift position can be changed to P through use of the P position
switch.
Fully stop the vehicle and keep
depressing the brake pedal, and
then press the P position switch.
When the shift position is
changed to P, the switch indica-
tor comes on.
Check that the P position indi-
cator is illuminated on the shift
position indicator.
●Changing the shift position from P to other positions:
• While depressing the brake pedal firmly, operate the shift lever. If the
shift lever is operated without depressing the brake pedal, the buzzer
will sound and the shifting operation will be disabled.
• The shift position cannot be changed from P to B directly.
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*
BApplying moderate engine braking when driving down
hills or on steep slopes

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2-5. Driving information
HS250h_U_75050U
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving the
vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropriate to the
prevailing weather conditions.
■Pre-winter preparations
●Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside tempera-
tures.
• Engine oil
• Engine/power control unit coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of
tire chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains match
the size of the tires.
■ Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions:
●Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is fro-
zen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe
away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
● Remove any ice that has accumulated on the vehicle chassis.
● Periodically check for and remove any excess ice or snow that
may have accumulated in the wheel well or on the brakes.
■ When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suitable to the
road conditions.

Maintenance and care4
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HS250h_U_75050U
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior.............. 416
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior .............. 420
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ........................ 423
General maintenance .......... 426
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs............................... 430 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ............................ 431
Hood .......................................... 434
Positioning a floor jack ......... 435
Engine compartment ........... 437
12-volt battery ........................ 447
Tires............................................. 451
Tire inflation pressure........... 459
Wheels ...................................... 462
Air conditioning filter ........... 464
Electronic key battery........... 467
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 469
Light bulbs................................. 481